[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 66 (Friday, April 5, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20618-20619]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07979]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0649-XC608


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
a three-day meeting on to consider actions affecting New England 
fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 
April 23-25, 2013 starting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, and at 8:30 a.m. on 
both Wednesday and Thursday.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Hilton Hotel, 20 Coogan 
Blvd., Mystic, CT 06355-1900; telephone: (860) 572-0731; fax: (860) 
572-0328; or online at www.hiltonmystic.com.
    Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, 
New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

    The New England Council will hold a closed session on Tuesday from 
9 a.m. to 10 a.m. to address appointments to its Scientific and 
Statistical Committee. Following the closed session, the Chairman will 
make any necessary introductions and announcements. The Council will 
then receive brief reports from the NEFMC Chairman and Executive 
Director, NOAA Fisheries Regional Administrator, the Northeast 
Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council 
liaisons, as well as NOAA General Counsel, and representatives of the 
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Coast Guard, and staff 
from NOAA Enforcement/VMS. The Council also will receive an update 
about Northeast Regional Ocean Council activities. Prior to the lunch 
break, an open period for public comments is scheduled during which any 
interested party may provide brief remarks on issues relevant to 
Council business but not listed on the meeting agenda.
    During the afternoon session the Council will receive a report from 
the Northeast Fisheries Science Center staff summarizing the findings 
of the 56th Stock Assessment Workshop/Stock Assessment Review Committee 
meetings. The species addressed were surf calms and ocean quahogs and 
white hake. The Transboundary Management Guidance Committee will brief 
the Council on its February intersessional meeting held to discuss 
quota trading, assessment timing, alternative management strategies and 
the U.S./Canada Resource Sharing Understanding. The Groundfish 
Committee report will follow and include: an update on the development 
of Amendment 18 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP); a presentation by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's 
Social Sciences Branch on its fishing year 2011 Groundfish Report; and 
a discussion about cod catch reporting in the Eastern Georges Bank 
Area.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

    The Council will begin its second day of meetings with a brief 
update on recent recommendations concerning habitat management areas, 
dedicated habitat research areas, and the inclusion of gear 
modification measures in the Omnibus Habitat Amendment 2. Following 
this report, the Council will continue to address groundfish management 
issues as it discusses recent correspondence that requests a review of 
the impacts of climate change on groundfish status determination 
criteria and catch advice and any follow up action. Additionally, 
Council members will consider Groundfish Committee recommendations for 
new alternatives in Omnibus Habitat Amendment 2 that would improve 
conservation of juvenile groundfish habitat and protect concentrations 
of large spawning groundfish. These new area alternatives could replace 
some or all of the status quo year-round groundfish closed areas and 
rolling closures. After the April Council meeting, the groundfish 
management alternatives will be consolidated and possibly combined with 
the existing habitat and dedicated habitat research areas that have 
been proposed by the Habitat Committee.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

    The NEFMC's Monkfish Committee will review the development of 
Amendment 6 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This report 
also will include a review of the April 2013 update assessment. Under 
this agenda item the Council also may discuss the ability of NOAA 
Fisheries to provide data that adequately supports a monkfish sector or 
ITQ program. The Scallop Committee will initiate Framework Adjustment 
25 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP (specifications for fishing year 
2014 and default measures for 2015). The action will include 
accountability measures for windowpane flounder, among other issues. 
The Council also will approve priorities for inclusion in the upcoming 
scallop research set-aside program announcement that will detail future 
funding opportunities for sea scallop-related research. The Enforcement 
Committee will review recommendations for possible approval concerning 
sector managers and joint liability; gear marking requirements across 
all FMPs; small, seasonal closed areas; and allowing vessels to 
simultaneously carry nets with different mesh sizes for different 
fisheries in the regulated mesh areas. Prior to a lunch break, the NOAA 
Fisheries Northeast Regional Office will present a Draft Environmental 
Assessment on Standard Bycatch Reporting Methodology and seek approval 
to finalize proposals for public review. The day will conclude with an 
initial discussion about Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization 
priorities.
    Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda 
may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be 
the subjects of formal action during this meeting. Council action will 
be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and 
any

[[Page 20619]]

issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency 
action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided that 
the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take final 
action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Paul J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days 
prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: April 2, 2013.
William D. Chappell,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-07979 Filed 4-4-13; 8:45 am]
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